Aviation Safety

During his second solo flight, the student pilot encountered a gust of wind during the landing flare. The airplane ballooned and then bounced twice on its nosewheel. After the second bounce, the student pilot applied full power and aborted the landing. The subsequent landing was uneventful and he taxied to the ramp. Post-accident examination revealed substantial damage to the firewall.

After his airplane was reported overdue and missing, it took three days for searchers to locate the underwater crash site using side-scan sonar, and cable news breathlessly reported every development. This media event practically begged viewers to ask themselves, If someone with JFK, Jr.s resources cant fly a well-equipped small airplane, what chances do I have, or the person I met last night at that cocktail party? So, what to tell your in-laws or dinner-party guests, thats both accurate and reassuring?

Arguably the most challenging of all the Wright Brothers multiple successes involved mastering roll control. Pitch and yaw came relatively easy, but absent the ability to command a roll for a coordinated turn, aviation could go nowhere-at least nowhere near the intended heading. Their solution-wing warping-allowed for affirmative roll control and completed their mastery over all three axes.

Way back in the mid-1980s, when I purchased a 1946 Cessna 120-the same week I earned my private pilot certificate-I received my taildragger checkout from Mr. W.E. Dierking in Higginsville, Mo. Dirk had taught U.S. Navy cadets in Waco biplanes during WWII, and he sure taught me a lot about flying! One of the techniques Dirk suggested was to take off with the fuel selector on the left tank (there was no both position in the 46 Cessna), fly for an hour, and write down the time aloft.

If the U.S. general aviation industry has its way, a new FAA framework for certificating aircraft and components-including the ways new equipment is installed on in-service aircraft-would be in place by the end of the year. Thats one of the goals expressed in a joint statement supporting a proposed rewrite of the agencys Part 23 rules, those under which small airplanes are certificated and equipment for them is approved.

The overall reason we conduct a preflight inspection is to verify everything on the airplane is both present and working. We check fluids, tire and strut inflation, look for damage and wiggle things like ailerons and rudders to ensure theyre working as they should. Once were satisfied the airplane is ready to fly, we mount up and launch. But what if we find a piece of equipment thats not working? Can we still fly?

A cardinal rule of mountain flying is to always be mindful of places where the terrain climbs faster than the airplane, and then avoid them. This isnt exclusively a backcountry issue-you dont have to fly in the Western U.S. or in the mountains to get bitten-there are plenty of airports on the U.S. East Coast where we can run into things if we cant climb well enough or if we stray off the published route, whether IFR or VFR.

After earning my instrument rating, I took my CFIIs advice to heart and have filed IFR religiously on virtually every flight since my checkride eight years ago. I do it because I noticed that I am more tuned up for IFR flight than I am when flying VFR. My preflight planning is more thorough and my cockpit is more organized.

Owning an airplane always was a dream of mine, one I recently was able to realize. Like so many others, I spent many years renting, and borrowing or participating in flying clubs, as I learned to fly and use an airplane both fun and travel. But theres no free lunch, and owning an airplane brings responsibilities and hassles. Theyre mostly worthwhile, of course.

Installed a rebuilt starter adapter and overhauled starter. On starting, the prop turned about 10 degrees and stopped. Pilot then smelled a burning odor and could not shut off the battery. The cowling was removed but the battery box was too hot to touch. Using gloves, the battery was disconnected.